Cover for store shelves

ABSTRACT

A cover for gondola style shelves is inexpensively constructed and quickly and easily installed by providing a decoratively treated blank that lies flat, but has outer sections that can be bent down and tabs that can be bent inwardly to attach the cover to the shelf.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shelving systems used to displaymerchandise in stores. More specifically, the invention relates todecorative panels used to cover standard gondola style store shelves foraesthetic or decorative reasons.

II. Discussion of the Prior Art

Gondola style shelving systems have been used in retail store settingsfor more than a half century. An example of a gondola style shelvingsystem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,681 granted to E. C. Streater onAug. 27, 1963.

Gondola style shelving systems are sturdy, safe, durable, easy toassemble, and easy to adjust for the display of merchandise havingdifferent sizes, shapes and packaging styles. Gondola style shelvingremains ubiquitous in retail store environments for these and otherreasons.

Gondola style shelving systems are so sturdy and durable that, once setup, they can stay in place and be used in the same retail space fordecades. As such, gondola style shelving is usually painted in a neutralcolor such as white, gray, beige or black to prevent the gondola styleshelving from going out of style. With use over such an extended period,the painted finish on the shelving can become scratched, or lose some ofits sheen. Also, the bland coloring is not always desired.

Store managers often want to decorate for holidays using traditionalholiday colors and symbols (e.g., red and green and trees for Christmas,orange and black and pumpkins for Halloween, reds and browns and turkeysfor Thanksgiving, pastels and bunnies for Easter, reds and pinks andhearts for Valentine's Day, etc.). Likewise, store managers may want adifferent color scheme or pattern when displaying certain types ofmerchandise (e.g., green for golf equipment, camouflage patterns forhunting equipment, local school colors for school supplies andback-to-school clothing, team colors for licensed merchandise ofprofessional sports teams, etc.).

Companies that sell merchandise for resale in retail stores understandthat sales of their merchandise is impacted by where in the store themerchandise is displayed, the height of the shelves where themerchandise is displayed, and other factors that attract the customer'sattention. Merchandise suppliers are willing to compete in any number ofways to ensure their merchandise is displayed as advantageously aspossible. However, they are limited in this regard by the uniform andbland nature of gondola style shelving.

Some merchants, or their suppliers, have draped fabric over and aroundgondola style shelves or attached lights or signage to the shelves.However, there has not existed in the prior art a systematic way toneatly and efficiently cover and treat gondola style store shelves toimprove aesthetics of the store environment, or to assist with seasonaldecoration of the store. Likewise, there has been no systematic way toneatly and efficiently apply to gondola style shelving, in anon-destructive, temporary way, colors, patterns, trademarks, tradedress or other images and symbols to highlight particular types ofmerchandise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides inexpensive, yet durable decorativecovers for gondola style shelves that can be quickly and convenientlywrapped around a gondola style shelf without even removing the shelffrom its supports. Each cover comprises a metal blank having a centralsection adapted to rest on the top of a gondola style shelf. The centralsection has opposing front and back edges and opposing side edgesextending between the front and back edges. The central section extendsacross the entire width and depth of the top of a gondola style shelf tocover the top of the shelf.

Extending from each of the opposing sides edges is a side sectiondefined by a scored line extending along a side edge and dividing theside section from the central section. The metal blank is adapted to bebent along these scored lines to transition the side sections from afirst position co-planar with the central section to a second positionextending downwardly substantially perpendicular to the central section.When the side sections are in this second position and the central plateis positioned on the shelf, the side sections cover the sides of theshelf and prevent side-to-side movement of the cover.

In a similar fashion, a front section, comprising a front cover sectionand a front tab, extends from the front edge of the central section. Thefront section is defined by a first front scored line extending alongthe front edge of the central section between the central section andthe front cover section. There is also a second front scored lineextending along an edge between the front cover section and the fronttab. The metal blank is adapted to be bent along the first front scoredline so that the front section moves from a first position co-planarwith the central section to a second position extending downwardlysubstantially perpendicular to the central section. The metal blank isfurther adapted to be bent along the second front scored line to permitthe front tab to then be moved to a capture position in which the tabextends back under the shelf. This prevents the front of the cover frombeing inadvertently lifted off the front of the shelf during use.

A back section, comprising a back cover section and a back tab, extendsfrom the back edge of the central section. The back section is definedby a first back scored line extending along the back edge of the centralsection between the central section and the back cover section. There isalso a second back scored line extending along an edge between the backcover section and the back tab. The metal blank is adapted to be bentalong the first back scored line so that the back section moves from afirst position co-planar with the central section to a second positionextending downwardly substantially perpendicular to the central section.The metal blank is further adapted to be bent along the second backscored line to cause the back tab to be moved to a capture position inwhich the back tab extends forward from the back cover section beneaththe shelf. This prevents the back of the cover from being inadvertentlylifted off the back of the shelf during use. Also, the front and backcover sections, when so bent, cooperate to prevent the cover fromsliding back and forth with respect to the shelf.

Each of the bends described above is made by the user without the needfor any tools. Installation of the cover on a shelf by a user may becompleted in seconds.

Plain metal blanks of the type described above would add nothing (butexpense) to a gondola shelving system. For this reason, the entire blankis treated with a decorative finish matching the desire of the user tocomplete the assembly of the cover.

The finish may be of a solid color or a pattern. If the finish isapplied as a liquid paint or using a powder coat finishing process, thefinish should be durable, non-brittle and flexible after curing so thatthe cover can be bent along the scored lines without damaging thefinish. Also, one side of the cover may be painted or coated with afirst color and the second side of the cover painted or coated with asecond color to give options to the user. For example, a cover intendedfor use at Halloween may be black on one side and orange on the other sothat a set of such covers may be employed with the black and orangesides exposed in an alternating fashion on a set of shelves. Likewise,the paint or coating can be applied in multiple coats such that abackground color is first applied as a first coat and letters, symbolsor other pattern elements are applied as subsequent coats.

Alternatively, the finish may be a polymeric thermoplastic shrink wrapor stretch wrap film to which a color, a pattern, an image, text, atrademark or other advertising material has been applied. The filmemployed should adhere to the sides of the blank and not bubble orseparate from the blank when the blank is bent along the scored linesduring installation. When a shrink wrap film is used, the film may beprinted and then formed into a bag, or formed into the bag and thenpre-printed. A blank is then inserted into the bag. This assembly isthen heated to cause the bag to shrink about the blank.

Another alternative finish is a first film panel of printed (e.g.,painted or colored) material adhered to a first side of the blank and asecond panel of such material adhered to the second side of the blank.The material and adhesive should be selected so that no bubbles ordelamination occurs when the blank is bent along the scored lines duringinstallation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of one or more preferred embodiments, especially whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likenumerals depict like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a standard gondola shelving systemwell-known in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a prior art shelf of a type used as part of the prior artgondola system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a metal blank used in the assembly of acover for a shelf of the type shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the blank of FIG. 3, the bottom view being themirror image of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 3 with the front, backand side sections bent into the installed position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an assembled cover with the front, backand side sections bent into the installed position around the shelf ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a first cross-sectional view of the blank of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial top view of the blank of FIG. 3 showing a bend linebetween the central section of the blank and the front section of theblank prior to bending;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the central section andfront section of the blank of FIG. 3 after bending;

FIG. 10 shows a bag of shrink wrap material printed with a checkedpattern used to provide a finish for the blank of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 shows the blank of FIG. 3 positioned within the bag of FIG. 10;and

FIG. 12 is a top view of the completed cover prior to bending about ashelf as shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

This description of the preferred embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description of this invention. In thedescription, relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal”,“vertical”, “above”, “below”, “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom” as wellas derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, “upwardly”,etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then describedor as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms arefor convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus beconstructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as“connected.”, “connecting”, “attached”, “attaching”, “join” and“joining” are used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surfacebeing secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricatedin one piece, unless expressively described otherwise.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a typical gondola style shelving system 1well-known in the prior art is shown. An exemplary shelf 10 used as partof a gondola style shelving system 1 is shown in FIG. 2.

Shelf 10 has a top plate 12, depending and opposing sidewalls 14 andfront and back depending walls 16. Integrated or attached to thesidewalls 14 and extending rearwardly of the back wall are hooks 18. Thehooks 18 are adapted to engage slots in adjacent vertical rails 20 tosecure the shelves in place.

The present invention relates to a cover 30 for such a shelf. See FIGS.6 and 12. The cover 30 is integrally formed from a thin metal blank 31.See, e.g., FIGS. 3-5. The blank 31 has a central section 32. Thedimensions of the central section 32 correspond to the dimensions of thetop plate 12 of shelf 10.

The blank 31 also comprises side sections 34 and 36. Side sections 34and 36 project from the side edges 35 and 37 of the central section 32of the blank 31. The side sections 34 and 36 are defined, in part, byscore lines 38 and 39 at the boundaries between the side sections 34/36and the central section 32. These lines are scored in the sense that theblank 31 from which the cover 30 is formed is treated along each ofthese lines to make it easier for the user to bend the side sections 34and 36 relative to the central section 32. More specifically, the usercan bend the side sections 34 and 36 from a first position co-planarwith center section 32 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) downwardly relative to thecenter section 32 along lines 38 and 39 to a second position (see FIGS.5-7) generally perpendicular to center section 32.

The blank 31 further comprises a front section 40 projecting from thefront of the central section 32. The front section 40 includes a frontcover section 42 immediately adjacent the central section 32. The frontcover section 42 is attached to the central section 32 along a scoredline 44. The metal along line 44 is treated to enable a user to bend thefront section 40 from a first position (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) in whichthe front section 40 is co-planar with the center section 32 downwardlyalong the line 44 to a second position (shown in FIGS. 5-7 and 9) inwhich the front section 40 is generally perpendicular to the centralsection 32. The front section 40 also includes a tab 46 projecting fromthe front cover section 42 along a scored line 48. When the cover 30 isbeing installed, the front section 40 is folded down along line 44 asdiscussed above. The tab 46 is then folded along line 48 (as shown inFIGS. 5-7) back and under the shelf 10. This couples the front of thecover 30 to the front 16 of the shelf 10 so the cover 30 cannot lift offof the front 16 of the shelf 10.

The blank 31 of cover 30 also comprises a back section 50. The backsection 50 includes a back cover section 52 joined to the centralsection 32 along a first back scored line 54. Extending from the backcover section 52 along a second back scored line 58 is a back tab 56.The first back scored line 54 allows the back section 50 to be bent froma first position (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) in which the back section 50is substantially co-planar with the central section 32 along line 54 toa second position. The second position (shown in FIGS. 5 and 7) of theback cover section 52 is generally perpendicular to the central section32. The second back scored line 58 allows the user to fold the back tab56 inwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

From the foregoing, one will appreciate that the cover 30 is easilyinstalled in a matter of seconds without any tools by centering thecenter section 32 of the cover 30 over the top plate 12 of the shelf,bending side sections 34 and 36 downwardly along the associated scoredlines 38 and 39 to prevent side to side movement of the cover 30relative to the shelf. Installation is completed by bending the frontsection 40 and back section 50 downwardly along the associated scoredlines 44 and 54 and the tabs 46 and 56 inwardly along their associatedscored lines 48 and 58. The front section 40 and the back section 50cooperate to prevent back and forth movement of the shelf cover 30relative to the shelf 10. The tabs 46 and 56 further cooperate toprevent the cover from lifting off of the shelf 10 inadvertently.

When a user wishes to remove the cover, the user simply bends the tabs46 and 56 downwardly along scored lines 48 and 58 and lifts the cover 30off the shelf 10. The cover can then be recycled with other metal itemsor stored for future use.

The blank 31 of cover 30 may be created in a variety of ways from thingauge sheet metal such as steel or aluminum. For example, the blank 31may be formed using a punch and die. The blank may also be formed usinga laser jet cutter, a water jet cutter or a torch. Either as part of thesame step as forming the blank 31 of as a subsequent step, the scoredbend lines the 38, 39, 44, 48, 54 and 58 are formed in the blank. Asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9, each scored line either comprises a series ofslots 60 formed along the scored line and separated by a short length ofmetal 62 weakening the blank 31 along the line where the metal will bendwhen a bending force is applied. Alternatively, and as shown in FIGS. 8and 9, two rows 64/66 of slots 60 are formed leaving metal sections 62between the slots of a row and a metal section 68 between the two rowsof slots 64 and 66.

Once construction of the blank 31, including formation of the scoredlines, is complete, the surfaces of the blank are treated with a finish70 to complete the cover 30. The finish 70 may provide the blank 31 witha solid color or a patterned finish. The finish 70 may also include asolid background with letters, numbers, shapes, trademarks, or imagessuperimposed over the background. The finish 70 may be paint applied tothe blank 31. The finish 70 may also be a film laminated onto the blank31.

When paints are used, the paints may be a latex paint or an oil basedpaint. A wide variety of colors are commercially available. When latexpaint is used, acrylics, vinyl or rubber based compounds may be added.These compounds will give the paint the ability to bend with the metalbecause they allow the paint to stretch after it is applied and dried.These compounds will also quicken the drying process. When latex paintis used, it is generally advisable to first apply a primer. This notonly will cause the paint to adhere better to the metal blank 31, butwill also reduce the risk of oxidation of the metal caused by the paint.

Many consider oil based paint to be a better option when painting metalbecause oil based paints tend to be more resistant to chipping. Also,the need to use a primer is avoided. Of course, proper ventilation isessential when using oil based paint. Cost can also be an issue becausethe solvents used to make oil based paint are expensive. Oil basedpaints typically require more labor to apply and clean up than latexpaints.

Whether the paint used is latex or oil based paint, the paint can beapplied to the blank 31 in a variety of ways. Preferably, the blanks areeither dipped into the paint or the paint is sprayed onto the blank 31to form a base coat. Spraying is generally preferred when a finish otherthan a single solid color is desired. A finishing method involving bothdipping and spraying may be used. For example, the blank 31 can bedipped to provide a background color and a sprayer used to applypatterns, letters, numbers, trademarks or images over the backgroundcolor. Alternatively, a base coat of paint can be applied and, when thepaint is dry, one or more decals made of a printed thermoplasticmaterial may be applied using a suitable clear adhesive. Further, thebackground colors can be applied at the factory by the manufacturer ofthe cover and decals applied at the store by store personnel.

The finish may also be applied using an electrostatic powder coatingprocess. Various thermoplastic or thermoset polymer powders may be usedto create a hard finish typically more durable than conventional liquidlatex or oil-based paints. Also, several differently colored powders maybe applied before curing to provide desirable visual affects. Powdercoat finishes are often less likely to chip, scratch, corrode or fadethan liquid painted finishes.

Instead of using a painted or powder coated finish, the finish may be apolymeric film applied to the top and bottom surfaces of the blank 31.The film is ideally pre-preprinted and then applied to the blank 31. Insome embodiments, an adhesive is used to apply panels of the film to thetop and bottom surfaces of the blank 31. In other embodiments, noadhesive is required.

For example, a variety of stretch wrap and shrink wrap films suitablefor use are available. Stretch wrap films are highly stretchablepolymeric films having elastic recovery properties that tightly bondsthe stretch wrap to the blank 31. Shrink wrap films, on the other hand,are applied loosely around the blank 31. Heat is then applied and thewrap shrinks tightly around the blank 31. Linear low-densitypolyethylene is an example of a stretch wrap material. Examples ofshrink wrap materials include polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride,polyethylene and polypropylene. Shrink wrap films are useful in theconstruction of the covers 30, particularly shrink wrap films that aremono-directional, i.e., they shrink in only one direction. This isbecause it is easier to prevent and control distortion of images printedon the wrap material.

Shrink wrap materials may be formed into bags 100 of a suitable size tohold a blank as illustrated in FIG. 10. The bag 100 then may be printedwith a finish 70. The printing can be a single color, two colors or evenmore. For examples, polyolefin and low density polyethylene shrink bagsmay be custom printed with three or more colors. Polyvinylchlorideshrink bags may easily be custom printed with up to eight (or more)colors.

The mess, cleanup and drying time associated with applying a paintfinish to the blanks 31 is avoided by simply placing the blank 31 in apre-printed shrink bag 100 made of one of these materials as shown inFIG. 11 and then running the assembly of the blank 31 and bag 100 pastone or more heat guns or through a heat tunnel to heat and shrink thebag 100 tightly around the blank 31 as shown in FIG. 12.

The lightweight, flat, finished covers 31 can then be packaged forshipment. A stack comprising a predetermined number of such covers 31may be boxed or shrink wrapped together for shipment.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail tocomply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled the artwith the information needed to apply the novel principles and toconstruct and use embodiments of the example as required. However, it isto be understood that the invention can be carried out by specificallydifferent devices and that various modifications can be accomplishedwithout departing from the scope of the invention itself.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover comprising: (a) a blank adapted to becoupled to a shelf of a gondola style shelving system, said blank havinga rectangular center section having a front edge, a back edge, and twoside edges, a first pair of opposing sections comprising a first sidesection and a second side section, said first side section projectingfrom a first of the two side edges and said second side sectionprojecting frcm a second of the two side edges, a second pair ofopposing sections comprising a front section projecting from the frontedge and a back section projecting from the back edge, the sections ofat least one of the first and second pair of opposing sections havingtabs, wherein each of the side, front and back sections and said tabshave a first position co-planar with the center section permitting theblank to lay flat, wherein said side, front and back sections and saidtabs are configured to have a second position extending downwardly fromthe center section, and wherein said tabs are configured to have a thirdposition extending inwardly beneath the center section; and (b) adecorative blank cover comprising at least one panel of pre-printedpolymeric film adapted to be fixed to the blank and remain fixed to theblank when the side, back and front sections are in the first positionand the second position, said at least one panel of pre-printedpolymeric film comprising a polymeric material selected from a groupconsisting of: polyolefin, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene,polypropylene, and linear low-density polyethylene.
 2. The cover ofclaim 1 wherein the blank further comprises scored lines between thecenter section and each of the front, back and side sections.
 3. Thecover of claim 2 wherein at least one of the scored lines comprises tworows of slots.
 4. The cover of claim 1 wherein a scored line associatedwith each of the tabs facilitates bending of the tabs inwardly beneaththe center section. 5-7. (canceled)
 8. The cover of claim 1 wherein saidat least one panel of pre-printed polymeric film is a stretch wrapmaterial.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The cover of claim 1 wherein said at leastone panel of pre-printed polymeric film is a shrink wrap material.11-12. (canceled)
 13. The cover of claim 1 wherein said decorative blankcover is in the form of a printed bag adapted to receive the blank. 14.(canceled)
 15. A cover for a shelf of a gondola style shelving system,said cover comprising: (a) a blank formed from a sheet metal material,said blank having a rectangular center section having a front edge, aback edge, and two side edges, a first pair of opposing sectionscomprising a first side section and a second side section, said firstside section projecting from a first of the two side edges and saidsecond side section projecting from a second of the two side edges, asecond pair of opposing sections comprising a front section projectingfrom the front edge and a back section projecting from the back edge,each of the sections of at least one of the first and second pair ofopposing sections having tabs, wherein each of the side, front and backsections and tabs have a first position co-planar with the centersection, wherein said side, front and back sections, and said tabs areconfigured to have a second position extending downwardly from thecenter section, and wherein said tabs are configured to have a thirdposition inwardly beneath the center section to attach the cover to ashelf of a gondola style shelving system; and (b) a decorative blankcover comprising at least one panel of polymeric pre-printed filmadapted to be fixed to the blank and remain fixed to the blank when theside, back and front sections of the blank are in both the firstposition and the second position, said polymeric film selected from agroup consisting of shrink wrap films and stretch wrap films comprisinga material selected from the group consisting of polyolefin,polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, and linear low-densitypolyethylene.
 16. The cover of claim 15 wherein the blank covercomprises a bag adapted to shrink about the blank when subjected toelevated temperatures.
 17. A cover for a shelf of a gondola styleshelving system, said cover comprising: (a) a blank formed from a sheetmetal material, said blank having a rectangular center section having afront edge, a back edge, and two side edges, a first pair of opposingsections comprising a first side section projecting from a first of thepair of side edges and a second side section projecting from a second ofthe pair of side edges, a second pair of opposing sections comprising afront section having a first tab and a back section having a second tab,wherein each of the side, front and back sections, and said first andsecond tabs have a first position co-planar with the rectangular centersection and are configured to have a second position extendingdownwardly from the center section, and wherein the first tab and thesecond tab are configured to have a third position in which the firsttab and second tab extends inwardly beneath the center section to attachthe cover to a shelf of a gondola style shelving system; and (b) adecorative blank cover comprising at least one panel of polymericpre-printed film fixed to the blank when the side, back and frontsections and the first and second tabs are in their first position, whenthe side, back and front sections are in their second position, and whenthe first and second tabs are in the third position.
 18. (canceled) 19.The cover of claim 17 wherein the blank further comprises at least onerow of slots along the front edge, back edge, and two side edges of therectangular center section of the blank.
 20. The cover of claim 18wherein the pre-printed film is printed with a plurality of colors.